Raiders appreciate Palmer's presence

RAIDERS

Updated 11:38 pm, Saturday, November 3, 2012

Photo: David Eulitt, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer passes in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Sunday, October 28, 2012. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs, 26-16. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/MCT)

Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer passes in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, Sunday, October 28, 2012. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs,

Carson Palmer hasn't been able to improve the Raiders' fortunes in his first 12 months with the team, but coaches and players alike say he has sparked improvement just the same.

Carson Palmer hasn't been able to improve the Raiders' fortunes in his first 12 months with the team, but coaches and players alike say he has sparked improvement just the same.

Photo: Reed Hoffmann, Associated Press

Raiders appreciate Palmer's presence

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After being traded to Oakland a year ago and being thrown into a game knowing only a dozen plays, Carson Palmer couldn't give then-coach Hue Jackson the playoff spot he desired. No one could, with the Raiders' defense having trouble stopping the run and the pass, and with penalty flags flying at a record pace.

So "the biggest trade in football," as Jackson called it, not only didn't pan out but also cost Oakland first- and second-round draft picks. The Raiders went 4-6 after the trade (4-5 in Palmer's starts), and Jackson was fired.

This season, under new coach Dennis Allen, Palmer and Oakland have started 3-4 after putting in new offensive and defensive schemes. The running game has been nonexistent for much of the season, and the offensive line far too hospitable, but Palmer has played well and "been the type of leader that we need," receiver Derek Hagan said.

The Raiders have won two in a row, and Palmer is on pace for a career-high in yardage (4,437) and has a career-low interception rate of 1.9 percent. The Raiders are trying to rebuild on the fly and would very likely be 0-7 this year without Palmer.

"He's one of the coolest cats I've ever been around on game day, handling adverse situations," offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said. "It's enjoyment to work with because he just goes to the next down, whether the last one was good or bad. ... "That showed up in the Atlanta game. It showed up again (against Jacksonville). It showed up in Pittsburgh in the fourth quarter. It's a unique quality, because it's hard to find that in a quarterback when a lot of stuff is coming at you."

Palmer has learned a new offense, going from a drop-back system in Cincinnati and Oakland last year to a West Coast system using more short throws. There are also more designed rollouts, though matchups have kept a lot of those under wraps, and Palmer has shown an underrated mobility and ability to escape pressure in the pocket.

He has been sacked 12 times this season, but it could be a lot more. He has gotten the ball out quickly, or sidestepped pass rushers or taken shots when throwing, bouncing right back up.

"Tough dude," linebacker Philip Wheeler said. "I said it before, but he willed us to win in the games that we have. His teammates on defense, we love watching him."

The running game is ranked 31st in the league as the new zone blocking scheme hasn't clicked. But Palmer has had success using a no-huddle attack, and Tampa Bay safety Ronde Barber - who gets a crack at him Sunday - said Palmer is one of the best at reading defenses.

"He understands where to deliver the football," Barber said. "If you give him certain looks, he's going to make the right reads. You've got to expect that out of him. He's not one to make many mistakes. Obviously we're going to do our best to try to force him into them.

"He's a 10-year guy now, so there's not much that he, like me, hasn't seen."

Well, Palmer hadn't seen anything like last year, when he semi-retired to force a trade from the Bengals, and that finally came on Oct. 18 after Raiders starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. Oakland gave up a first-round pick in 2012 (turned out to be No. 17 overall) and a second-rounder next year.

"It was tough getting on the same page sometimes," receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said, "but Carson never complained. Just kept pushing. He is more relaxed and in total command this season."

Palmer, 32, threw 16 interceptions for the Raiders last season - three off the bench in his first week with the team - but is not pressing and throwing into double coverage this season.

"He's been the rock," Knapp said. "Carson Palmer is special. The way he leads a team and the way he prepares for a game, he's very, very good."

If the run game can build off last week's 95-yard fourth quarter against Kansas City, the Raiders may finally get a chance to open up the offense with play-action passes. Being a game manager is good, but Palmer - who has two years and $28 million left on his contract - wants big plays. And last week's 1-for-6 in the red zone against Kansas City is not going to cut it.

"We want touchdowns," Palmer said.

And Raiders fans want wins and want "the biggest trade in football" to really pay off.

Buccaneers (3-4) at Raiders (3-4)

1:05 p.m. Channel: 2 Channel: 40 / 105.3

Spotlight on: Receiver Denarius Moore. He is trying to become the first Raider to catch touchdown passes in four straight games since Tim Brown in 2001. Tampa Bay's defense is 31st in the league against the pass, and Moore (419 yards, four TDs) will line up on both sides of the field to attack its cornerbacks. Carson Palmer has so much faith in the second-year receiver that four of his five interceptions this year have come when throwing at Moore.

Big 3

-- The Bucs are averaging an NFL-best 34 points in the past three weeks, and Josh Freeman has thrown three TD passes in each of the past three games. He has big-play receivers in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams, who are very good at going up and catching deep passes at a high point. Raiders coach Dennis Allen's instructions to his cornerbacks: "Jump higher."

-- The Raiders' problems running the ball have really hurt them in the red zone, as they are 31st in the NFL in scoring inside the 20 at 34.8 percent (8-for-23). Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is fifth in the NFL in opponents' red-zone TD percentage at 38.1 percent (8-of-21).

-- Oakland tight end Brandon Myers has the highest catch rate for any receiver, regardless of position, on passes that were in the air for 10 yards or more, at 87.5 percent. He has caught 14 of the 16 passes thrown his way at that distance, according to Pro Football Focus.

Big trade, mixed results

Hue Jackson called it "the biggest trade in football" when the coach and the Raiders traded for Carson Palmer a year ago. Well, Jackson was fired as coach at the end of the season, and Palmer is now 7-9 in 16 starts for Oakland. A look at the quarterback's numbers against his career-best yardage season in 2007 (with Cincinnati):

Year

Rec

Comp

Att

Yards

Comp.

Avg.

TD

Int

2011

4-5

191

307

2637

62.2%

8.6

13

13

2012

3-4

162

269

1941

60.2%

7.2

9

5

Total

7-9

353

576

4578

61.3%

7.9

22

18

2007

7-9

373

575

4131

64.9%

7.2

26

20

Note: Palmer came off the bench his first week with the Raiders and threw three interceptions in the second half against Kansas City.

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